Spring Breakers: perception and reflection of a generation

Of the nine films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar in 2013, four directly dealt with political and social issues of the American culture and its history. Certainly not a recent trend by any regard, film, and art in general, often turns its lens back on the culture the artists find themselves in. Art is all encompassing and takes many forms. However, much discussion and analysis is welcomed when the focus takes a sociological turn.
In Spring Breakers, Harmony Korine's lens may shift between incredibly sharp and intentionally out-of-focus, but his image is always clear. Expectations and then perception shapes reality and the marketing and actual product behind Spring Breakers could certainly leave viewers feeling shorthanded. Advertising teen idols of the Disney Channel and ABC Family clans in bright neon bikinis is the main focus of Spring Breakers marketing campaign. Young and sexy is promised. But, there's so much more. To be incredibly blunt, one could divide expectations and reactions into two camps: those artistically cultured who are familiar with Korine's work and those who seek out films in which their favorite Disney Channel actresses star. One camp got a challenging, ethereal, culturally significant film; the other got "literally the crappiest movie I've ever seen."
A director of such films that would certainly be deemed obscure by the popular culture, Korine decides to take a different approach and brings light to generational commentary in his latest film, Spring Breakers. The story is simple. Stuck in a boring college dorm, four college girls long to travel to an ideal Spring Break location. Problem: they have no money. Resolution: they rob a chicken shack. But don't worry; they just treat it like a video game. With cash in the pockets and indulgence in their hearts, they go hit the road to Florida and the debauchery begins. In the sequences that depict Spring Break, nudity, drugs, and binge drinking color a scene of pure joy for teens and twenty-somethings alike. Set to dubstep and displayed often in flesh-jiggling slow motion, Korine portrays the beach parties as a nightmare of sex and inebriation. What would their mother say?
It bears mentioning the four main female characters never wear much more than bright neon bikinis. This is an attracting point of the film. Sex sells. But take this imagery away and Korine does not disappoint in creating a satisfying film experience. The sexual imagery is a veil, lifted upon a message about the American culture, the mindset of our youth; of Generation Y. They're a scary bunch. And violent to boot.
More Bonnie & Clyde or Natural Born Killers than Showgirls, Spring Breakers becomes an enduring piece of generational commentary. The girls are at home in the debauchery-filled Spring Break parties, but ultimately feel awkward and "creeped out" when their company changes to young African-American men. The main characters of the film are incredibly shallow and the film certainly makes a point in displaying this. They're ego-driven beings, often self-motivated and narrow-minded in their endeavors. They spew pop songs and draw penises on notebooks.
As Faith, Selena Gomez is the good, religious girl. Harmony's wife, Rachel Korine is Cotty, the in-between of the bunch. Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Benson round out the girls. These two are the masterminds, the true criminals James Franco, in the film's strongest performance, creates a companion character to the four girls. He speaks with a Southern drawl, making frequent proclamations of "Spring Break forevah." His cornrows, piercings, and gold teeth intrigue the girls. His hospitality draws them in. There's an undeniable connection between he and the girls. He involves them in his criminal endeavors. Hudgens and Benson become his "soul mates." A fever dream ensues.
There's the matter of a sequence revolving around a Britney Spears song that is, without a doubt, one of the most unique sequences in film history. Needless to say, it's captivating, bizarre, and beautiful. Korine's use of imagery here and throughout is downright haunting. There's something truly visceral and real about what is presented on screen.
Just like the Best Picture nominees of 2012, Spring Breakers challenges the American youth into reflecting on what they believe, how they act, and what they want in life. Perhaps, this generation is shallow, driven towards a fever-pitched success truly unearned, but gravely desired. Middle schoolers with iPhones. Drunken twenty-somethings on the shore of Ft. Lauderale. Is this film an accurate portrayal of the American youth? Or a haunting dream of a film? The answer is yes.
Upon watching, it can be said that a viewing experience of Spring Breakers is unlike any other. Korine succeeds in endeavors to reflect upon our society and the generation it concerns. The film currently faces great success at the box office. Success here allows Korine a wider landscape. Here's to that.
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